In what could be manager Mark McGhee's last game in chance - he has been strongly linked with a move to Hearts - Motherwell gave Hibs a passing lesson.
The Lanarkshire side took the lead after three minutes when Simon Lappin curled a 20-yard free-kick beyond the reach of Andy McNeil.
Hibs hit back immediately and Colin Nish saw a shot turned for a corner by Brian McLean after Luke Daniels had been left exposed at the back.
From the flag-kick, Steven Fletcher's downwards header was hacked off the line by Keith Lasley as Hibs came close again.
Fletcher was eager to please watching Scotland manager George Burley and swiped another shot wide from 25 yards with the Motherwell defence backing off.
It was an open game and Ross McCormack tried his luck from 25 yards, but the ball was a yard wide of McNeil's right-hand post.
Dean Shiels responded at the other end as he took a pass from Nish but clipped his 15-yard shot over the top.
Alan O'Brien should have done better after a slip by Stephen Craigan gave Fletcher the chance to put him through on goal, but he shot straight at Daniels.
Motherwell looked dangerous going forward and McNeil had to watch a long-range effort from Steven McGarry closely before clutching it to his chest.
O'Brien then laid a chance on a plate for Fletcher at the other end but he steered his six-yard header wide.
Motherwell extended their lead five minutes into the second half when substitute Jamie Murphy scored from the penalty spot after Rob Jones had brought down Darren McCormack.
Nish somehow managed to miss from six yards out after an O'Brien cross had broken to him in the Motherwell penalty area.
But Motherwell were more inventive going forward and McNeil had to get his angles right to slap a McCormack shot past for a corner.
McNeil had to earn his corn again to turn away a shot from Darren Smith as his defence deserted him again.
Substitute Robert McHugh slipped a shot wide of the post late on when he was in on McNeil, but by then the points were secure.